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Mayor Weinberger Commends Vermont Legislature for Passage of S. 166

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 4, 2018
Contact:  Katie Vane
                  802.734.0617

 

Mayor Weinberger Commends Vermont Legislature for Passage of S. 166

 

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger today commended the Vermont Legislature for its passage on May 4, 2018 of S. 166, a bill that will vastly improve how those struggling with opioid addiction are assessed and treated in prisons across Vermont:

 

“Today’s passage by the Legislature of S. 166 marks an important milestone in our efforts to free Burlington and Vermont from the grip of the terrible opioid epidemic, which now takes the lives of over 100 Vermonters every year. Guaranteeing State prisoners access to addiction medicines will save lives – Rhode Island saw a 60 percent drop in overdose deaths among individuals being released from prison after putting in place comparable protections – and it will create hope that incarceration can lead to rehabilitation for the hundreds of Vermonters who are imprisoned every year as a direct result of their struggle with addiction. Thank you to the legislators who advocated for this bill’s passage, the Department of Health for its partnership in the fight against the opioid epidemic, and the Agency of Human Services’ Department of Corrections for having already taken great strides towards providing medication-assisted treatment in its prisons. Burlington and Chittenden County look forward to continuing our collaborative, urgent work with the State on this issue.”

 

 

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Press Release Date: 
05/04/2018
City Department: 
Mayor's Office